SimpleScience@Heart: Green tea, coffee may help lower stroke risk

Green tea and coffee may help lower your risk of having a stroke, especially when both are a regular part of your diet.

In a Japanese study, people who drank either green tea or coffee daily had 20 to 30 percent lower risk for stroke than people who seldom drank them.

Coffee slightly edged out tea – with a cup of coffee having the same effect as 2 cups of green tea. Also, drinking 4 or more cups of green tea was a bit more beneficial than drinking 2 -3 cups.

Tea and coffee are the most popular drinks in the world after water, so even though this study was done in Japan, researchers say the benefits of drinking tea and coffee probably hold true in other countries.

Of course coffee and tea aren’t the only way to a healthy heart. Experts recommend a healthy eating pattern that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and foods that are low in sugar, fat, sodium and cholesterol. In addition, stay away from tobacco and tobacco smoke, and get plenty of exercise.

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